Sealed chamber in rectangular Building BH at Karahan Tepe set to be opened

August 25, 2026TürkiyeExcavationNew Research

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Key facts

• Building BH is a rectangular structure first excavated in 2025, situated at the heart of Karahan Tepe
• Building BH measures 9 by 7 metres with walls surviving up to 3.5 metres in height
• Walls show traces of plaster and mud brick at their bases, indicating original plastering
• The interior contains two tiered benches along the walls and four broken pillars placed symmetrically
• Traces of strong burning on the floor and damage to benches suggest exposure to high temperatures, possibly from accidental burning or a ritual closing ceremony
• Along the northern wall, excavators discovered a large stone vessel, a two-step platform, and a channel beneath it, suggesting liquid was poured into the vessel and flowed into the channel
• A sealed chamber is located in a corner of Building BH, not beneath it, and is a small elevated (not subterranean) room covered by flat stones and slabs
• The chamber's entrance cannot currently be excavated because it opens onto a shallow deposit
• Archaeologists plan to dismantle the heavy cover stones to access the chamber during the current excavation season
• The chamber is likely around 10,000 years old, built in the latter stages of Karahan Tepe's occupation, not 12,000 years old as some media headlines claimed
• Experts believe Building BH had a communal function, possibly used for ceremonies, offerings, or ritual practices

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